king_not_clotpole | *A Long Hoped For Meeting*

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A Long Hoped For Meeting

They're running a bit late, but Arthur and Sir Leon, who make quite an odd picture in a large cart rather than on horseback as befitting knights.

But they're not in their armour and aside from their swords are unarmed.

Arthur is looking at the map. "All right, this should be the place..." Looks up and around.

Leon sighs. "Forgive me, sire, but direction is not your strong suit."

"Hey!"

Before anything else can be said, though, there is a sound ahead.

Could it be?

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The first person Arthur will see is not Morgana. No, dropping out of a tree (she climbed it herself and is rather impressed with how fun it is to drop out of trees) is Carys, resplendent in her new cloak, which is a little too long, but she does not care.

"She thought you'd be late."

She looks at Leon.

"Who is he?"

"Carys! Hello!" Arthur waves at her. "Don't you look important. Your sister enjoyed her cloak too I hope?"

He rolls his eyes, oh typical Morgana. "I'm not that late. And this map isn't entirely accurate anyway."

Excuses, excuses.

"This is Sir Leon, my longest serving knight."

Sir Leon bows his head. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Carys."

Carys shrugs. "It's half a days's walk home." She does not point in the direction of that home, she knows better but the point was to inform Arthur that they could not have made it home and back to this spot. "I won't be able to give it to her until tomorrow."

In a way, Carys feels like it's a disappointing answer, so she adds, "but she'll love it. It's red."

She bows to Sir Leon. She doesn't know the correct protocol. "Hello."

With the pleasantries over, she turns to head up the path a little, where Morgana is waiting.

"That's a very long walk," Arthur is slightly concerned. "You don't have any horses? I could have brought some."

Leon is pleasantly charmed by the girl, althou she get a bit of a shock when he gets out of the cart. Unless Morgana's mentioned how tall the knight is.

Arthur also climbs down from the cart and follows Carys, he's having some trouble walking in a calm manner. He's not entirely sure how he'll react when he's finally just a few feet from his sister.

Would a hug be out of place?

Carys looks up way up at Sir Leon and definitely gapes at the man's height. It doesn't help that she's a particularly small (though she hates it when people reminder her) 10 year old.

About 150 feet from where they were is a small clearing. In it stands two men who look remarkably similar -- red-blond hair, covered in freckles -- but different enough as to be obvious they are only brothers, not twins. Neither carry a sword, which isn't odd for peasants, except it's indicative of what little protection they have.

"I found an Arthur!" Carys announces, then adds, "And a Leon."

Morgana is sitting by the small fire, but stands when Carys makes her pronouncement. Unlike Carys, she is not wearing one of the new cloaks. There are small everyday things she does, like not take a new cloak, as penance, but such things are personal, and she wouldn't share her reasoning.

She looks exhausted, as she was up most of the night. Since she stopped wearing the bracelet, she is often tired, but considering the offer made by Merlin, sleep was impossible.

Holding her hands in front of her, she is equally as uncertain what to do now that Arthur is here, so she addresses the girl. "So you did. Luckily, you found the Arthur and not just any old Arthur."

She cannot bring herself to address Sir Leon, she hasn't gauged his reaction yet.

To Hell with it, awkward times it is. Arthur can't help himself and being a father and married to Guinevere he's become quite a bit more emotionally open.

So, have a hug Morgana, a rather uncertain hug, but one none the less.

"You're here, you're really here."

When he hugs her, Morgana freezes. When she was little, she was the one who gave kisses, and hugs, and was far more open than she is now. Their roles are reversed.

As much as she steeled herself for this, Morgana is finding it difficult not to cry. She never thought she would be back here.

Very tentatively, Arthur will feel a hand on his back, when she finally returns the hug, and her head, very lightly on his shoulder. She's tired enough, that if this was years ago, she might have let him hold up the majority of her weight, as little as it is now.

Morgana may be able to hold back tears, but not Arthur who lets a few tears escape and maybe even sniffles a bit.

Leon meanwhile will be greeting the two men and discussing what's in the cart and how they'll be getting it to where their community is.

"Two horses are sufficient enough to pull the cart-" Someone thought ahead and the cart has four at the moment- "so if you need them."

Morgana can do one of two things, acknowledge the tears, or something far easier, tease and challenge him.

It is what is easiest. "When I introduce you to my companions, you may not laugh. Do you understand me, Arthur? Yes, the are brothers, and yes, those really are their names," she whispers to him.

She looks toward the two men, "Rhys? Preece? Meet your King."

Preece and Rhys both bow.

"Rhys is on the right," Morgana whispers.

Arthur won't laugh...but it certainly dispells his tears.

Oh dear...

"I'm the eptiome of kingly dignity and courtly manners now," he assures Morgana, and nods to the two men.

"I'm always pleased to meet my subjects, especially those I have been unaware of until now. I'm sorry I have not heard of your plight until now."

One of the men mutters a greeting, and Carys, being the eminently helpful being she is, is standing behind them. Apparently, distinguishing between the two brothers, despite the fact they are not twins, is common.

Preece she mouths, pointing to the one on the left, indication which one has just spoken.

Arthur smiles at her, grateful for her help.

"Preece -" he looks at the one on the left - "and Rhys, I hope the cloaks were well recieved? And I hope you'll be able to trust me, you and your people."

"Very much so," Morgana answers even though she herself is not wearing one. "It will be much more appreciated when everyone can be both fed and clothed."

She looks at Arthur, tired and uncertain about how much he knows about after he left her in the Darkling woods.

"I've brought the amount you requested," Arthur nods. "And a bit more -" it was a good harvest this year at least in the area near the castle - "And as Leon said you're free to keep two of the horses. It'll make it easier to send messages should you need to."

He looks at her slightly concerned. "Are you all right? You look...tired."

"Arthur," In something she rarely does, she pinches her nose, like he sometimes will. She is completely exhausted. "You must admit the last day has been stressful."

Morgana is not going to have sacrificed a lifetime of sleep without a purpose, so she looks at him with all due importance. "Did you do as I asked? Did you destroy it?"

Even if she slept like a normal person, she would have been awake the previous night with worries that Merlin, besides having the talisman that could, at any point, lead him directly to her, also has the bracelet.

"It has rather." Arthur thinks briefly of Guinevere and wonders if she'll still be upset with him when he gets home.

"I did," he reaches into his pouch and produces a clump of molted metal. "Um...did you want it back?" He thinks maybe it still has some power to help her sleep.

Morgana smiles, it's an easier smile than she's had since the decision was made to appeal to the palace for assistance.

"It is gone." There is a sense of relief even though it hasn't had the same effects on her since Morgause died. The enchantment was looking for another host, and Morgana never wanted one to be found.

"No, it is powerless now, as it should be." She reaches out to put a hand on Arthur's arm, a gesture which she notices has Sir Leon eying her suspiciously.

She understands he has every right to.

Arthur smiles right back, it's almost like old times.

He takes covers her hand with his. "I wish I could give you something to help you sleep."

Leon clears his throat and Arthur looks over.

"Right, I suppose we can't linger...Guinevere's waiting for me at home."

"Of course, Leon's here as your protection from me as much as anything. Morgana gives a bit of a dirty look to the knight in question.

"Of course, you must go home to the Queen. I am certain she and the warlock are worried sick."

Carys has been munching merrily on some of the bread given to her yesterday at the palace, but when she sees the King making movements to leave, she hops up and dashes over.

"Excuse me," she doesn't wait for his pardon, "can you return this?"

It's the handkerchief the Queen gave her the day before and Carys is not a thief.

Arthur shakes his head surprised when Carys holds out the handkerchief.

"Thank you...you don't have too, Guinevere has plenty of handkerchiefs."

He smiles at her then looks at Rhys and Preece and Morgana. "There is nothing more you require I hope?"

But Carys is insistent, "Just because someone has plenty of things doesn't mean I take them."

Arthur, you're pricking a 10 year old's pride here.

"Of course not, I'll deliver it to her with your compliments." Arthur swears solemnly, taking the handkerchief, folding it and placing it in his pocket.

He looks over his shoulder at Morgana, then back at the brothers.

"I just want to say that your community is welcome to seek refuge in Camelot should you need to. The harvest was good this year so there's plenty to share."

He looks over at Morgana. "And of course, you are always welcome to come home."

Arthur's response to Carys earns a soft smile, but the offer to return home erases it.

She steps closer to Arthur. "I think that might be entirely dependent on you warlock, Arthur, not you."

Arthur sighs. "Merlin doesn't want to...he's not going to..." he's at a loss for words as he often is with these things. "I'm sorry for what he did to you, I know it's unforgivable. But...sometimes the unforgivable can be forgiven." He ventures, hopefully.

God knows he's done it...with Father - who he truly believed was repentant (and he rather hopes it's so for his father's sake.

"I...he's... I couldn't be the king I am without him. I can't choose between you."

"I do not think you know what the warlock wants. I do not even think he knows," and that is all Morgana is going to say on that matter, as it's clear Arthur doesn't know what transpired after he left. "That is the biggest obstacle."

She shakes her head. "Arthur, if you cannot be the King you are without him, then you already did choose between us, as the warlock once did between you and me."

With that, Morgana turns and heads towards the cart, to see if she can help with any final preparations.

Arthur's completely confused by Morgana's words...and has to wonder what Merlin hasn't told him.

But he forgets that at her words. Swallowing hard, at a loss for words. Does she really believe that? Is it true?

He gives a slight start of surprise as Leon puts a hand on his shoulder.

"They have decided to take two of the horses, sire. I can saddle your horse."

Arthur shakes his head. "No, I'll do it." He needs something to do so he doesn't start blubbering.

Before the King and Sir Leon leave, a whirling dervish of a girl steps in front of Sir Leon, and finding him far too tall, but not because she is little, steps one over to place herself front of Arthur.

"Thank you and I like your horse."

With that, Carys, full of energy and food for the first time in a while, runs back to Morgana, and in the casual way children do, leans into her, giving her a half hug, before crawling onto the cart for the journey back.

If Carys hadn't been such a whirr of energy Arthur might have hugged her, she's such a sweet little girl - makes him wish for a daughter.

"Ni likes you too." He assures her and Ni does, leaning forward to nuzzle Carys hand.

"Farewell, I hope the grain and cloaks will see you through."

He's relieved to see Carys hug Morgana, his sister needs some unconditional love.

He stands there watching the four leave, before nodding to Leon and mounting his horse for the long ride back to Camelot.

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A Long Hoped For Meeting

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